This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
BL Premium reports that labour federations commented on Friday that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address (Sona) was uninspiring and lacked a detailed plan to take the economy out of the “depressing situation” it which it found itself.
They expressed growing frustrated with the government’s lackadaisical approach to addressing the country’s socioeconomic crisis. Cosatu, Saftu, Fedusa and Nactu called on government to address the slow economic growth, the high unemployment rate of 32.9%, and the rising inflation that has resulted in a sharp increase in the cost of living. Cosatu affiliate Nehawu said it was disappointed Ramaphosa had failed to mention anything about filling vacancies in the civil service. According to general secretary Zola Saphetha, the Sona address lacked a comprehensive vision and a detailed plan and instead “we heard the same old promises and nothing new or inspiring”. Reuben Maleka of the PSA, a Fedusa affiliate, said the president’s silence on public service challenges was extremely disappointing. “He [Ramaphosa] is clearly not very concerned about the state of public institutions such as hospitals, schools, and government departments suffering from chronic staff shortages and operating with less than 60% of the required human resources,” Maleka commented. Saftu’s Zwelinzima Vavi said the Sona mimicked the “economic frameworks of neoliberal capitalism that the ANC is so committed to” and expressed doubts that any of the promises Ramaphosa made during Sona would be kept. Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said the Sona was “useful only if the budget funds it”. The 2023/2024 budget is set to be to be tabled in Parliament on 22 February. Pamla added that it was “alarming” that the department of cooperative governance & traditional affairs (Cogta) and SA Local Government Association (Salga) had offered “nothing tangible to rebuild collapsing municipalities”.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page